Direction signal



May 29,1934. J F. CAMPBELL J 1,960,409

1 IIIIIIIIIIIIIII L 9 WWII "wa mm w /.m|llll mnuw ia u J I WNW BY QMWQ Au AA; I ATTORNEY Patented May 29, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to direction giving signal devices for motor vehicles, my principal object being to provide a device of neat appearance and having no moving parts and in which the signals are given by means of artificial lights, which are so arranged that right, left or stop signals may be readily displayed in a very clear and distinct manner. The signal device itself is also so arranged that these signals, from the same sources of light, will be visible with equal clarity both from the front and the rear of the vehicle. Though the signal is intended for day or night use it is especially effective at night when arm signals if given are not easily seen.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed. 7

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claim.

In the drawing similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation'of my'improved signal device.

Fig. 2 is a sectional plan of the same on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a diagram of the circuit means employed with the signal.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawing, the device comprises a casing 1 of suitable character and of substantially rectangular form and relatively shallow; having a suitable base bracket 2 whereby it may be mounted in a rigid manner on a wheel fender of the vehicle or other suitable location. Transparent panes 3 are mounted in the casing across the front and rear faces of the 40 same. Just inwardly of the panes opaque and preferably black colored plates 4 are disposed in which diagonally extending arrow shaped openings 5 are cut, whichcross each other intermediate their ends as shown. The openings in the two plates are symmetrical with each other and their edges are connected throughout their extent by opaque walls 6. A pair of chambers 7 extending from the front to the back of the casing and intersecting or merging into each other between their ends are thus formed.

Disposed in these chambers in symmetrically spaced relation to the side walls thereof are transparent glass tubes 8, crossing each other intermediate their ends and extending the full length of the chambers. These tubes are bent at their upper ends in the simulation of arrow heads as shown at 9 conforming to the shape of the chambers at said ends. These tubes are filled with neon gas treated in such a way that when an electric current is passed through the same the gas glows brightly with a certain color and the entire tube becomes illuminated and its outline sharply set forth.

The tubes extend in parallel clearance relation to the sides of the chambers throughout their length except at the ends, where they are bent to project through and be supported by the side walls of the chambers-near their ends. The tubes at one end are provided with electrodes 10 which are grounded onto the casing 1, their other ends also having electrodes connected to wires 11 leading to a switch 12 which is connected to the battery 13 of the car; individual vibrator'coils indicated at 14 being interposed in the circuits between the switch and the tubes to step up the voltage of the current to the extent necessary to cause the gas to be properly influenced or charged. The switch is located at a point in the vehicle convenient to the driver and is of the three point selective type, or so that either tube at a time or both tubes together may be included in the circuit when the switch is closed. When the tube pointing to the right of the car is illuminated a right turn is indicated; the illumination of the tube pointing to the left denotes a left turn; and when both tubes are illuminated together a cross is formed which denotes stop.

By reason of the above construction and arrangement it will be seen that direction giving arrows are provided whose outlines, being continuous, are sharp and unmistakable. Also this particular shape and construction of the chain;- bers allows all the light to be utilized in signal giving, since none of the light is lost in blind pockets or dead spaces in the casing, as is the case when the desired shape or outline of the signal is obtained by merely cutting a slot in an opaque end panel. Further the chambers being open from the back to the front of the casing without any obstructions it will be obvious that the signal formed by the illumination of the tubes is as plainly visible from in front of the casing as from the rear of the same.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the' present and preferred construction of the device,

still in practice such deviations from such detail Y the appended claim.

may be resorted to as do not form a departure .from the spirit of the invention, as defined by slot like arrow-shaped chambers formed within the casing and intersecting each other, the

' opaque front and back walls being provided with corresponding intersecting transparent areas in each wall adjacent the chambers, and a neon tube disposed within and extending substantially the full length of each chamber and following the arrow-shaped contour thereof.

JOHN F. CAMPBELL. 

